A 20-year-old intern died after being struck by lightning just days after moving to Florida to participate in the Disney College Program. Matthew Jenkins, from Shelby Township, Michigan, was found unresponsive on Tuesday evening near a hotel in Celebration, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Witnesses reported that a group was seeking shelter from the rain when the lightning strike occurred. They then observed Jenkins had collapsed. One witness, Felipe Costa, stated he ran to the scene and saw the young man. Costa and other bystanders immediately began attempting to help, with one woman performing CPR while awaiting first responders.
Emergency personnel arrived shortly after the incident and transported Jenkins to Celebration Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, officials confirmed. Costa expressed that he had a premonition that the situation was not good.
Jenkins' father shared his gratitude towards those who attempted to save his son. The exact cause of death is still pending determination. The Osceola Sheriff's Office and the Medical Examiner's office have not yet provided further comment, and Disney has also been contacted.